If you need me to love you
by findmeintherabbithole
Summary: Mercedes became the cream rising to the top, and is currently living her dream. As she sings her rendition of "Ain't no way" she starts reminiscing of the blonde from her past who she hadn't heard from in years. Little does she know, he's closer than he appears. Wow, sorry, I really have to work on my summaries.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its characters. Nor do I own "Ain't No Way" They belong to their respectful owners. I do, however own my slight (okay, huge) obsession of this song whenever Amber Riley sings it. *Swoons* (also I understand that in the original lyrics Aretha sings, "And if you need me like you say you do, then please please please, don't you know that I need you?" and not what I put in my fic, but i'm going off how how Amber sang it in Glee Live. What can I say? I'm an Amber junkie ;))

Mercedes Jones was doing it. She was actually living her dream! The cream rising to the top. She blinked back the blinding lights, and looked over the concert hall that was currently holding thousands of screaming fans. It was all for her!

"This is for one of my biggest idol who inspires me everyday." The crowd went wild. "This one's for Aretha Franklin!"

She then started singing "Ain't No Way." She loved the song, but realized the last time she sang it in front of an audience was on a small stage in a small town. Singing this song, here and now, had her reminiscing. She thought of her old glee family, she thought of the curly haired teacher, but most of all she thought of him. It always reminded her of him. The days down at the lake, hanging out on the swings at the park, holding hands, the guitar playing, the songs, the declarations, and body painting (He was an artist, what could she say?)

She hadn't heard from him in a few years, and nostalgia was setting in. She closed her eyes and gave her all in the next line.

"And if you need me to love ya, say, say you do. Hold me baby, baby, baby, don't you know that I need you? Ohh"

She felt the lyrics and gave one of the best runs of the night. And she felt the crowd go quiet as she continued.

When the song came to an end, she felt a slight weight lift.

"Oh it ain't no way for me to love you," She took a deep breath, letting his handsome features marinating everywhere falling in the cracks of every word, "If you don't let me."

The ending of the song hung. It sounded absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful, she had let him through her thoughts once again

When she was done, she opened her eyes, and notice that there was not a dry eye in the crowd, or at least not from what she could see in the first few rows.

Her fans stood silent for a long beat, and she wiped her eyes. She hadn't noticed she was crying too.

The atmosphere turned intimate, and she gave a small chuckle. Never in her whole life has she ever seen, or felt something like this before.

"Sorry guys, that song just hit home." She stated,

She went to say more when she heard a voice somewhere in the front row yell, "Who's the guy?"

A good portion of the crowd laughed, including her, and she shook her head.

"Nice, try! Why don't we get to the next song?" The crowd roared their disapproval. She simply chuckled, shook her head once more, and motioned the band to start the next song.

"Good job, Mercy oh my gosh! You brought the house down!" Quinn ran up to her best friend and hugged her fiercely. "But you always do, so…" She shrugged, putting her arm around Mercedes' shoulder.

"Thanks Quinny," She smiled wide.

"Blew everyone away with that rendition…" She put her free hand over her heart in sweet reverence. "Everyone from glee was definitely crying, we're so proud of you, hun!"

"Wait, glee club?" Mercedes rose an eyebrow. Quinn just smirked mischievously.

"Come out guys!" Quinn called, and Mercedes had to hold her breath.

A second later, she saw Santana holding Brittany's hand and running in full force from behind the second curtain. Then Rachel and Finn, and then everyone else...

Including him.

He was last to enter from behind the curtain. He was walking a good pace and had his head down with a smile gracing his lips. His hands were shelved in his pockets, and Mercedes froze, she noticed he was the only one not to rush over.

Finally he looked up, and they made immediate eye contact. She watched as he smiled wider and leaned against the wall not too far from the group. The years had been very good to him. He continued with his natural dirty blonde locks, that was cropped short so it wasn't in his eyes, that still held child-like wonder, and he had a gold tee. He was wearing a dark-long sleeved shirt. It stretched tight over his muscles that seemed to have grown over the years.

She took a deep breath, how did he still have the same effect over her after all these years? He chuckled, and was temporarily mesmerized with the slight motion it made to his neck. It was always one her favorite places to kiss.

"Sam…


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't any songs, or organizations, or anything. Nor do I own glee, if I did… well, lets just say all couples would have _equal_ screen time :)

Damn her! She sang their song. He remembered what that song meant to her.

Honestly, Sam was always down for some soul music, but never actually _felt_ soul till she sang it on McKinley High's stage (Or April Rhodes, he wasn't too sure what it was called.) Point is, it was their song.

Flashback-

Mercedes and Sam were laying on a blanket near the lake when he heard her humming a familiar tune.

"Is that the same song you sang for the 'Night of Neglect' concert?" He asked in her hair.

"Mmm" was her simple response.

"Personally, I felt like that was the first time I've actually ever felt blown away. I thought it would've been your duet with Santana, but your performance at the benefit trumped everything." Sam sighed at the memory of her shaking dat ass! "Though it is a close second…" Then he thought of all of her serenades, "Maybe" She giggled.

"Boy, you're so crazy."

"Yep, and so yours." He declared proudly, holding her tighter to him. "But I don't know if it really would be second, 'If I ain't got you' was almost as abulous as me." He smirked when he heard her snort.

"Shut up! I still can't believe you heard me singing that." She shook her head.

"'Cedes, I heard how you changed the lyrics, was there a reason?" He'd been meaning to ask for a while.

"Oh," She tensed, "I was just mixing it up a little." He rose an eyebrow.

"Really, now?" He asked

"Yes."

"Huh. Because I was thinking, at the time it was relatable to me." He drawled.

"Oh?"

"'And if you need to to love you, say you do?'" He tried to sing, but it was beyond his vocal range, Mercedes giggled.

"So?" she asked

"So what was I just telling you a couple days before we found out about the event?" He knew she would remember.

"That you were tired of feeling used." She admitted slowly, he began to sit up, and the action made her sit up too, since she was pretty much laying on him.

"And..?"

"And you said it was impossible for you to find love with someone amazing." She hung her head.

"Hey, why are you hanging your head?" He lifted her chin.

"Because, I don't know, shame I guess." She looked him in the eye and shrugged, a half smirk on her face.

"Why? I needed you too." He cupped her chin. "Still do, my dear."

She leaned into his touch and regained herself,

"Boy, how long did it take you to realize it was about you?" She asked.

"Mmm…" he paused and smiled, "About a split second after you ended the last note, thats why I was the first on my feet. I guess in my own cowardly way, I was telling you that I heard you. That I need you too, even if i didn't fully know it at the time. Also, that I believed in you-still do." He said sweetly.

"Thanks, Sam"

"Don't thank me." He rubbed the back of her hand against her cheek, "You're so beautiful, Mercedes. You make me believe in the impossible." He felt himself smoldering as he moved closer, but he couldn't help it.

He watched as she did her blush face, "That it _is _possible for me to find someone amazing to love, because Mercedes, I love you." It was the first time he'd ever told her that.

She froze, then broke out into a huge smile, "I love you too" She replied.

He swore he never felt happier in any other moment in his life. A month later, fate played him a different hand and fucked everything up.

End flashback.

When she got to his favorite lyric, he felt everything, everything she was feeling it. She was singing her rendition, and he knew they were sharing that specific memory. He could feel it in his bones she was thinking back to the day on the lake.

When the crowd quieted, and her last note hung, he couldn't believe it! Never in his life had he seen anything like that before. It was so intimate.

He couldn't hear what the fan said, all he heard was Mercedes say "Nice try." He was staring in awe at the flat screen T.V that the love of his life was currently on. It killed him that she was less than 100 yards away and he couldn't see her, see her. But in a way he was glad he wasn't watching her live. If she captivated him on screen like that… he'd surely end up in the hospital if he were in the crowd.

"Need a towel to wipe those huge crocodile tears, Trouty?" He looked over to Santana who had tears in her eyes too. She wasn't even going to bother to hide it from anyone.

"Nah," He put his arm around her.

"You ready for this? I mean, I know its been a while since you've last seen her." She looked worried.

"Ready as I'll ever be. I just-what if she hates me?" He asked

"Its Mercedes we're talking about, of course she wouldn't hate you. In fact," she stepped away and eyed him, "I think she might just jump your bones." She winked.

"Aren't you married?" He eyed her.

"To the luckiest woman alive." She looked over to Brittany with the most peaceful expression. It was actually, just as genuine as it was when she looked at her in high school. Sam felt envious, but he had his duty, and Mercedes had her dream. It sucked that time drifted them apart. Sure, they conquered it before when he moved back to Lima, but fate just liked to fuck him over.

"Quinn should be calling for us any minute now!" Brittany called, bouncing on her toes, and Santana ran to her leaving Sam alone.

Santana was right. Mercedes DID look at him like she wanted to jump his bones. He couldn't stop the chuckle that evaded him. Then he watched with a poker face (because he was fucking dying inside that she still had a very strong effect on him) as she drank in his lips, shoulders, chest, and neck. He knew his neck was her favorite place to kiss. Something about it being manly. He liked that fetish of hers though, made him feel like a king, and she was his queen, and at any request he'd give her anything she desired. Including the world. If he was being honest, the way she was eying him now went straight to his-

"Sam…" She said, hearing her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Heya Mercy." He smiled, and so did she.

After everyone gushed with her over her performance, they left the two alone to talk.

"I didn't think you'd come." She said.

"Mercy, you didn't think anyone would come." He said, and she chuckled.

"It was a great surprise. Its just after Quinn said the glee club was here, and you were the last to walk out… for a second I didn't think that would be here." She said.

"You forget that I believe in you?" He asked sincerely.

"Never." She said dazedly.

"Good." He walked up to her, and put his arms around her. She tensed at first, and after he didn't hesitate, she fell into his arms. "Because i'll always believe in you. No matter where

I am in life, i'll always be your biggest fan." He kissed her forehead.

"Thank you." She leaned back to look at him.

"Don't thank me." He said. Though he probably shouldn't have. He used to always say that to her all the time.

"Why are you here? I mean, I thought you were in South America." After Sam's sophomore year in college, he got an offer to move to Chile to do some work. He did world relations, and worked with organizations, like letters to the South, and whatever that had to do with improving resources where it was needed the most. They dealt with the third world countries in South America, Asia, and parts of Europe. He took it, since Mercedes was getting signed and she'd be busy for a few months anyways. He knew he couldn't give up an opportunity to help the world. After what happened with his family, he couldn't sit around and do nothing anymore, he had to play a part in helping the people around him. It was a great job. He learned about the language, the different cultures, he even lived in Brazil for a few months and learned Portuguese. It wasn't easy with his dyslexia, but the need to reach out overcame the illness. Plus there was the faith the love of his life had in him that kept his heart pounding strong with passion.

"I was, but my time is up there. Actually, I just moved to California." He stated, and she pulled herself away completely. He tried not to frown, but they weren't romantic anymore, he had to remember that.

"Oh yeah? What for?" She asked.

"Well, we have a main office here. Plus…" Mercedes inclined her head, waiting for him to say the rest.

"Plus…?" She inquired.

"DC called. They liked my comics I drew during college!" He said excitedly. "So today I had to pitched my idea to them, and I got it! I start next week on my very own line of comics!" He couldn't contain his cheesy grin, 26 and he was still that kid that loved all things superhero related.

"WHAT?" She hugged him, "Sam, thats amazing! I knew you would do great things!" She exclaimed

"And I got to save the world a bit, in no way like Finn Hudson but-"

"What you did in Chile, and all those other countries was just as amazing, Sam. Finn maybe a hero because he fought in wars, but so did you, how many families have you saved from gang wars?" She cupped his cheek, and he smiled sheepishly.

"A few, but still-" she tightened her grip on his cheek.

"And I bet those families are so grateful. I also bet you've created memories down there with a lot of amazing families. I know you touched lives in South America. Sam, you're very much not like Finn Hudson, but you're still just as much a hero as he is, just in a different way." She had so much sincerity in her face. He missed her so much. When she was done with her speech, she let go of his face.

"I love you Mercedes." He blurted, and she smiled.

"I know, me too."

"Thank you for that." He said

"Don't thank me." He chuckled, but he wouldn't let her accomplishments go undone, either.

"And I knew you would end up here!" He motioned to the green room that they moved in during the New Directions' catch-up.

"And I am so proud of you." He cupped her cheek. He was so relieved she rested her cheek in his hand.

"As I am of you, love." She moved closer. He gave into the gravity that went on between them. He leaned down so he was a bit eye-level.

"How far do you live from here?" He asked when their foreheads finally touched. She smirked.

"Not close enough." She replied and met her lips with his.

A/N: You guys can use your imaginations as to what happened next ;)

So I think this may just be a 3-shot. I did a one shot called 'First Impressions' where Sam and Mercedes had their first one-on-one conversation. But i've been thinking about adding to it, and making it like a prequel to this since i've stated a few things in the flashback that was from 'First Impressions'. But I don't know what to do! Lol

Until next time guys :) Thanks for reading!


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